Assessment throughout the learning process is necessary for two reasons. First, assessment can be used as a progress tracker or diagnostic tool. Second, assessment can be used to evaluate the overall training or learning that is provided by a particular instructional program. In this regard, assessment most typically occurs in two forms: formative and summative. While our treatment in this discussion will be brief, as you design your learning environment keep in mind what on-going assessment will occur. Think also about what "end" assessments, milestones, or anchors will be utilized to measure learning progress. Lastly, think about the multiple methods you will use to develop alternative assessments, and/or authentic assessments which give learners the opportunities to demonstrate their competency in a given skill or domain.
21st Century Fluencies and Assessment
When considering how to assess students' ability or extent to engage in the 21st century fluencies, it is necessary to consider the complexity of assessing such skills. For instance, it would be difficult to capture one's fluency in team work through a typical multiple choice or short answer test. Rather, one must consider the approach of authentic assessment as it pertains to the 21st century fluencies. When designing instruction, think of the ways in which learners will create end-products, presentations, portfolios (electronic or hard-copy),and so forth to demonstrate their accomplishments. This requires including into the assessment repertoire rubrics, surveys, multiple choice, multiple select, matching, and games. As you design assessments for instructional environments consider Bloom's revised taxonomy, and Gardner's multiple intelligences.
Bloom's Revised Taxonomy
Gardner's Multiple Intelligences
Assessment Tools
The following table presents assessment creation tools which can assist you in accomplishing the task of creating assessment which addresses multiple intelligences, multiple learning domains, and 21st century fluencies.
Assessment: Rubrics, Surveys, Polls
Overview
Assessment throughout the learning process is necessary for two reasons. First, assessment can be used as a progress tracker or diagnostic tool. Second, assessment can be used to evaluate the overall training or learning that is provided by a particular instructional program. In this regard, assessment most typically occurs in two forms: formative and summative. While our treatment in this discussion will be brief, as you design your learning environment keep in mind what on-going assessment will occur. Think also about what "end" assessments, milestones, or anchors will be utilized to measure learning progress. Lastly, think about the multiple methods you will use to develop alternative assessments, and/or authentic assessments which give learners the opportunities to demonstrate their competency in a given skill or domain.
21st Century Fluencies and Assessment
When considering how to assess students' ability or extent to engage in the 21st century fluencies, it is necessary to consider the complexity of assessing such skills. For instance, it would be difficult to capture one's fluency in team work through a typical multiple choice or short answer test. Rather, one must consider the approach of authentic assessment as it pertains to the 21st century fluencies. When designing instruction, think of the ways in which learners will create end-products, presentations, portfolios (electronic or hard-copy),and so forth to demonstrate their accomplishments. This requires including into the assessment repertoire rubrics, surveys, multiple choice, multiple select, matching, and games. As you design assessments for instructional environments consider Bloom's revised taxonomy, and Gardner's multiple intelligences.
Bloom's Revised Taxonomy
Gardner's Multiple Intelligences
Assessment Tools
The following table presents assessment creation tools which can assist you in accomplishing the task of creating assessment which addresses multiple intelligences, multiple learning domains, and 21st century fluencies.
HotPotatoes
SurveyMonkey
ZohoPolls
RubiStar
Mastery Learning - (more to come) - "time is the variable, learning is the constant."
Differentiated Instruction